1. Content Typing, Flows, Models
© 2012 Intentional Design Inc.
www.intentionaldesign.ca
Rahel Anne Bailie
@rahelab

2. Content development
Editorial
quality
Editorial
structure
Content
creation

3. Content architecture
Content
typing
and flows
Content
modelling
Taxonomy
and
metadata

4. Content Design
Content architecture
Content
typing and
flows
Content
modelling
Taxonomy
and
metadata
Content development
Editorial
quality
Editorial
structure
Creation
of copy

5. Define “content”.

6. Human-consumable, contextualized data
Data = “12”
Content = “December” (12th month)
The stuff “contained” between the tags
Container /ContainerContent
Define “content”.

7. Content types
• Genres or components
• Elements and attributes
Content flows
• Distribution of content
• Content assembly
Content models
• Pages or templates
• Content behaviour

8. What is the difference
between a content type
and a content genre?

9. Content genres vs content types
Genre (social convention)
• Editorial category
• Set of content building
blocks that create social
context
• Defines reader
perception
Type (technical schema)
• Technical category
• Set of content building
blocks that create
semantic context
• Defines computing
behaviour

10. Content comes from all sorts of reservations:
• Airlines
• Hotels
• Rail
• Vehicle rentals
Common characteristics:
• Semantic elements
• Content types conform to standards
• Standards are formal (schema.org microformats)

11. Content gets aggregated into trip itinerary services:
• TripIt
• Dopplr
Business advantages:
• Easy interchange between sites
• Ability to provide context
• Manipulate content for user benefit
Except when standards aren’t being used, and you
can’t process the content.

12. <Task>
<Title>Title</title>
<ShortDesc>Short Description</shortdesc>
<TaskBody>
<Steps>
<Step>
<Cmd>Step</cmd>
<Info>Step info</info>
<Stepresult>Step results</stepresult>
</step>
</steps>
</Result>Task results</result>
</taskbody>
</task>
Task written to DITA XML standard

13. Returning an Item
You can return an item when it arrives damaged.
1. Pack the item into a box.
Be sure the original packing slip is inside the box.
2. Wrap the box with tape.
The box is ready to send through the postal system.
Task would look like this to users

14. User assistance is built into the interface
Tasks | Reports | Recent Tasks | Find | Administration
Portlet A Portlet B
Accounts receivable
Topic Name 1
The topic is about this
Topic Name 2
The topic is about this
Topic Name 3
The topic is about this
Topic Name 4
The topic is about this

15. Mapping the content to the interface
Tasks | Reports | Recent Tasks | Find | Administration
Portlet A Portlet B
Accounts receivable
Topic Name 1
The topic is about
Topic Name 2
The topic is about
Topic Name 3
The topic is about
Topic Name 4
The topic is about
<Task>
<Title>Title</title>
<ShortDesc>Short Description</shortdesc>
<TaskBody>
<Steps>
<Step>
<Cmd>Step</cmd>
<Info>Step info</info>
<Stepresult>Step results</stepresult>
</step>
<Step>
<Cmd>Step</cmd>
</step>
</steps>
</Result>Task results</result>
</taskbody>
</task>
1. Do this.
2. Then do this.
3. Finally, do this.
1. First, do this.
2. Then do this.

16. Mapping the content to the interface
Tasks | Reports | Recent Tasks | Find | Administration
Portlet A Portlet B
Accounts receivable
Topic Name 1
The topic is about
Topic Name 2
The topic is about
Topic Name 3
The topic is about
Topic Name 4
The topic is about
<Task>
<Title>Title</title>
<ShortDesc>Short Description</shortdesc>
<TaskBody>
<Steps>
<Step>
<Cmd>Step</cmd>
<Info>Step info</info>
<Stepresult>Step results</stepresult>
</step>
<Step>
<Cmd>Step</cmd>
</step>
</steps>
</Result>Task results</result>
</taskbody>
</task>
1. Do this.
2. Then do this.
3. Finally, do this.
1. First, do this.
2. Then do this.

17. Mapping the content to the interface
Tasks | Reports | Recent Tasks | Find | Administration
Portlet A Portlet B
Accounts receivable
Topic Name 1
The topic is about
Topic Name 2
The topic is about
Topic Name 3
The topic is about
Topic Name 4
The topic is about
<Task>
<Title>Title</title>
<ShortDesc>Short Description</shortdesc>
<UI8>The topic is about…</UI8>
<TaskBody>
<Steps>
<Step>
<Cmd>Step</cmd>
<Info>Step info</info>
<Stepresult>Step results</stepresult>
</step>
<Step>
<Cmd>Step</cmd>
</step>
</steps>
</Result>Task results</result>
</taskbody>
</task>
1. Do this.
2. Then do this.
3. Finally, do this.
1. First, do this.
2. Then do this.

18. Content genres vs content types
Genre (social convention)
• Editorial category
• Set of content building
blocks that create social
context
• Defines reader
perception
Type (technical schema)
• Technical category
• Set of content building
blocks that create
semantic context
• Defines computing
behaviour

19. Mapping content between genres
Help topic
Title
Preamble
1. Step
Step info
2. Step
Step result
3. Step
Task result
Learning topic
Title
Learning objective
1. Step
Step info
2. Step
Step result
3. Step
Exercise
<Task>
<Title>Title</title>
<ShortDesc>Short Description
</shortdesc>
<TaskBody>
<Steps>
<Step>
<Cmd>Step</cmd>
<Info>Step info</info>
<Stepresult>Step results</stepresult>
</step>
<Step>
<Cmd>Step</cmd>
</step>
</steps>
</Result>Task results</result>
</taskbody>
</task>

20. Mapping content between genres
Help topic
Title
Preamble
1. Step
Step info
2. Step
Step result
3. Step
Task result
Learning topic
Title
Learning objective
1. Step
Step info
2. Step
Step result
3. Step
Exercise
Support topic
Title
Tech note
1. Step
Step info
2. Step
Step result
3. Step

21. Maintaining content consistency
Help topic
Title <variable>
Preamble
1. Step
Step info
2. Step
Step result
3. Step
Task result
Learning topic
Title <variable>
Learning objective
1. Step
Step info
2. Step
Step result
3. Step
Exercise
Support topic
Title <variable>
Tech note
1. Step
Step info
2. Step
Step result
3. Step
Taxonomy
Term A
Term B
Term C
Equivalency
Term B2

22. Maintaining content consistency
Tasks | Reports | Recent Tasks | Find | Administration
Portlet A <variable>
Accounts receivable
Topic <variable>
The topic is about
Topic Name 2
The topic is about
Topic Name 3
The topic is about
Topic Name 4
The topic is about
<Task>
<Title>Title <variable></title>
<ShortDesc>Short Description</shortdesc>
<UI8>The topic is about…</UI8>
<TaskBody>
<Steps>
<Step>
<Cmd>Step</cmd>
<Info>Step info</info>
<Stepresult>Step results</stepresult>
</step>
<Step>
<Cmd>Step</cmd>
</step>
</steps>
</Result>Task results</result>
</taskbody>
</task>
1. Do this.
2. Then do this.
3. Finally, do this.
1. First, do this.
2. Then do this.

23. Allows for multi-channel publishing:
• Online help
• Training
• Support
• Print
Supports additional outputs:
• Mobile
• Tablet
• Localizations
• Transformations between systems

24. CONTENT TYPING

25. Has:
• Common structure
• Common style
• Recognizable elements
Benefits:
• Consistency and predictability
• Re-use capabilities
• Content mining

26. Content modeling is the process of converting logical content
concepts into content types, attributes, and datatypes
• Makes content understandable to humans
• Common set of attributes
• Property
• Field
• Element
Datatype restricts the data that the attribute holds, and provides:
• Validation
• Editing interfaces
• Computation

27. Using the metaphor of a form:
• Decide what the form fields are
• Define what is allowed in each form field and what’s
not
• Decide whether a field is R-O-C (required, optional,
conditional)
• Add any explanatory notes

28. Property
• Required or optional?
• Default value or not?
• Single value or multiple values?
• Datatype? (storage format with type of values)
Constraints
• Length of string
• List of values
• Numeric range constraint

29. Example of a content type

30. CONTENT FLOWS

31. Has:
• Each content type
• Destination locations (page/template)
• Describes behaviour
Benefits:
• Articulates the content types in context
• Connects where content flows from and to
• Makes requirements easier to understand
• Clarifies when customizing a web CMS

32. Content flows:
• Are in between content types and content models
• Explain how content works from the content side
• Explain behaviour
• Help UX pros with wireframing
• Solidify any information gaps that might derail a
CMS integrator

33. EXAMPLE

34. Content flow for “initiative” content type

35. CONTENT MODELS

36. Has:
• Aggregation of multiple content types
• Implementation of business rules
• Indicated behaviours
Benefits:
• Leverages the content types
• Populates pages for maximum user impact
• Allows content mining

37. A content model has/is affected by:
• Content types
• Content classes
• Page types
• Operations (supported by scenarios)
• Standards (recognized)
• Behaviours
A content model tells the CMS:
• What this content IS (datatype)
• What this content DOES (behaviour)
• How to enforce CONSTRAINTS (of operations)

38. • A way of organizing content and its relationship
within a framework or recognized protocol
• Process of converting logical content concepts into
content objects by breaking the concepts into
components and describing their data to a CMS*
• A support framework that encompasses structured
content, a re-use strategy, a taxonomy,
collaboration, and business process management**
* Deane Barker, Just Put That in the Zip Code Field
** Ann Rockley, Managing Enterprise Content

39. Using the metaphor of a page:
• Identify the content areas on the page
• Define the business rules about what you want the
CMS to do with each of the applicable content types
on the page
• Explain the behaviour of the content types in
context of the page
• Connect each bit of content to infrastructure that
supports the behaviour (e.g. a taxonomy)

40. Content model for a website home page

41. Content model for documentation

42. Thank you
© 2012 Intentional Design Inc.
www.intentionaldesign.ca
Rahel Anne Bailie
@rahelab
Content Typing, Flows, Models